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As your new President, I am thankful for the opportunity to serve you over the next two years. Though I have been an active member of the CAMA Board for several years, I take great pride in serving you as the President of CAMA. I want to bring you up to date on some important things that have taken place recently and some things that the CAMA Board is continuing to work on. I also want to ask each of you for your support and suggestions as CAMA moves forward. CAMA is your association and I ask each of you to take part in our future by providing me with your thoughts and suggestions. You can contact me via email at lonnielemons@yahoo.com.

For those many of you who were able to join us for an outstanding Training Conference in Atlanta, I hope that you took advantage of the excellent training sessions and the great information from our vendors! I also hope that you were able to make professional connections from all across the country and that you enjoyed the hospitality from our great hosts, the Atlanta Department of Corrections! Chief Labat, Quessie Parks, Jamille Bradfield and the entire Host Committee were awesome. The Atlanta conference was one of the best CAMA has experienced.

2017 CAMA Conference:Tennessee Department of Corrections will be our Host Committee for our 2017 Training Conference in Tennessee. Our second ever conference was held in Nashville TN and we are excited to bring our conference back to Tennessee for CAMA’s 30th Anniversary. We look forward to celebrating our Anniversary with all of you in Tennessee! I can guarantee that this will an exciting conference and it will be remembered for years to come. I am asking for any photographs or information you may have from over the past 30 years of CAMA. You can send them to lonnielemons@yahoo.com or to PO Box 5 Walnut Cove, NC 27046.

Our New Name:One of the exciting announcements I had the privilege of making during the CAMA Business Meeting at the close of this year’s conference was sharing your association’s new name! We will still be known as “CAMA” but we are updating our name to the Compliance and Accreditation Manager’s Association. Your board is excited to present this new name to the membership, as we believe it is more reflective of our membership and the role each of you play within your agency. Our goal is to continue to expand the offering of training sessions to meet the needs within our members and their agencies. The Board has discussed a possible name change for a couple years as our membership base has grown and includes agencies accredited through CALEA and NCCHC. As we were discussing the possible names, it was Penny Brooksher who came up with the name. Please take time to thank Penny Brooksher. Partnership with the PREA Resource Center:For the last two years, we have been pleased to receive the support of the PREA Resource Center in offering a number of PREA specific training sessions and the 2016 conference brought an increase in the number of law enforcement/CALEA related trainings. We hope that you have found these additional trainings to be helpful and responsive to your needs. Going forward, your Board will remain committed to continuing to respond to your needs and provide excellent training sessions from across the field of Compliance and Accreditation. We also encourage you to keep your eyes out for an updated CAMA Logo coming in the future.

Future:Over the next two years, your current Board will continue to work to make improvements to CAMA as CAMA continues to grow. Like the changes we have experienced over the last two conferences, we hope to continue to improve CAMA and make your association the best it can be. It is our goal to continue to provide our membership with the best training and services possible. In order for the Board to provide the services and training our membership needs and requires, I ask each of you for your suggestions and comments. If you have any questions or comments, please contact me or your Regional Director. The Regional Directors will be listed on our website, www.mycama.org. We are looking into the future locations for our Training Conferences. Please contact me with your thoughts and suggestions for future conferences. It has been several years since we have conducted a review of our Bylaws, so we have a committee in place to conduct a full review of our Bylaws. We will send out information about information about any proposed amendments or changes to our Bylaws at least 30 days prior to any votes for approving any changes. We would like your feedback on any items that may need review or need to be updated.We will be working to include more CALEA and NCCHC Training into our conferences as we move forward. If your agency is involved in accreditations through CALEA and/or NCCHC, please provide us with feedback about what training topics you would like to see us incorporate into our annual Training Conferences.

​We are working to design an updated CAMA Logo. We hope to have something out to you, our members, very soon.In closing, I would like to extend my personal appreciation to Michael Bradley and our outgoing Board members for all their hard work over the past two years. The hard work of the outgoing Board has guided CAMA in a positive direction which has improved the training and services provided to each of you through our association. Michael will continue to be very active in CAMA as the Immediate Past President for the next two years. We look forward to seeing you in Tennessee in 2017! We will be sending out information on the 2017 Annual Training Conference very soon.

Best Regards,Lonnie Lemons

American Correctional Association Partners with PowerDMS﻿to Provide Standards ElectronicallyOrlando, Fla. (December 1, 2014) -- The American Correctional Association (ACA)—the oldestand largest association of correctional professionals in the world with thousands of membersand more than 1,200 accredited agencies—recently partnered with cloud-based documentmanagement software solution PowerDMS to provide access to ACA’s standards in anelectronic format.PowerDMS will provide ACA members access to ACA standards manuals within their cloudbasedapplication. Subscribing members will be able to view the most up-to-date manualselectronically; intelligently search to quickly locate content; compare manual revisions sideby-side; and receive notifications when a change or update is made. More details will beannounced during ACA’s 2015 Winter Conference, February 6-11, 2015 in Long Beach,California.“The American Correctional Association is proud to partner with PowerDMS to allow agenciesinterested or involved in the accreditation process to view and utilize the standards in anelectronic format,” said James A. Gondles, Jr., Executive Director of ACA. “It is our hope thatthis partnership will enhance the efficiency, effectiveness, and appeal of the accreditationprocess and allow ACA to better serve the field of corrections.”Through the integration of additional PowerDMS policy tools, users can attach policies relatedto specific standards to show proof of compliance and create electronic assessments--simplifying the process for members seeking accreditation or reaccreditation by the AmericanCorrectional Association.ACA accredits over 1,200 prisons, jails, juvenile facilities, community residential centers andother corrections facilities in the U.S. using their independently published Standards. TheAssociation’s 24 different manuals of correctional standards cover all areas of operations,including adult, juvenile, and community corrections, as well as correctional trainingacademies, industry programs and central administration offices, among others.“We are honored to be partnering with ACA, providing their standards electronically,” said JoshBrown, founder and CEO of PowerDMS. “It’s inspiring when an organization established in1870 sees the benefits of technology and a paperless process. ACA is a forward thinkingorganization. We are dedicated to providing a technology platform that empowers theiraccreditation process.”ACA accreditation is intended to improve facility operations through adherence to standardsrelevant to all areas of the facility, including safety, security, order, inmate care, programs,justice, and administration. Across the U.S. and the world, ACA standards have been integratedinto routine operations in more than 1,200 facilities and programs. Tens of thousands of staffand inmates are impacted by the ACA standards on a daily basis.American Correctional Association (ACA) was founded in 1870 and is the world’s oldest andlargest professional association dedicated to corrections. Headquartered in Alexandria,Virginia, ACA is a non-profit association consisting of thousands of members from across theUnited States and the world. ACA hosts annual conferences for the corrections community,provides online and in-person training, represents corrections on Capitol Hill, assists agenciesin the vital area of correctional health, and sets national standards for correctional operationsthrough its standards. For more information on ACA, please visit www.aca.org.PowerDMS is a cloud-based document management software company. The applicationprovides practical tools to organize and manage crucial documents and industry standards,train and test employees, and uphold proof of compliance, thereby helping organizationsreduce risk and liability. PowerDMS has been named one of America’s Fastest-Growing PrivateCompanies by Inc. magazine, one of Orlando’s Best Places to Work by the Orlando BusinessJournal and Best Companies to Work for in Florida by Florida Trend magazine. For moreinformation, visit www.PowerDMS.com.

Changes at ACA

Dear Chapter and Affiliate Leaders,Several changes are taking place at the ACA headquarters and I wanted to let you know about them. Kathy Bachmeier will begin working as the Health Care Programs Administrator effective July 1, 2012. Kathy previously was the health authority for the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and we welcome her in her new role. Ben Shelor has been promoted to Deputy Director of Standards and Accreditation. Ben is from Knoxville, Tennessee, and came to ACA as an intern, then came to work full time. Kelli McAfee has been assigned as the Director of Professional Development, which has become an independent department once again. Kelli started in this department and then went to Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations to take over that department before coming back to Professional Development. Kelli's background is in training and criminal justice and this assignment is a natural fit for her. Caitlin Mann has become the Director of Conventions, Advertising and Corporate Relations. Caitlin served as deputy director before becoming the director. Debbi Seeger has returned fulltime to ACA serving as Director At-Large and will work with various departments in assisting however she is needed. Juan “Paolo” Rosales has been hired as the Membership Associate reporting to Hok Gao in the Finance and Membership Department. Previous to coming to ACA he worked at the American Institutes for Research and the University of Northern Virginia. Kenya Golden will begin working as an Accreditation Specialist in the Standards and Accreditation Department on June 12, 2012. She previous worked at the Florida Department of Corrections and with Corrections Corporation of America.Please welcome our new employees, returning employee, and promoted employees as they begin or continue contributing to your association.Jim Gondles

Free Webinar from COTC: The role of online training in standards and accreditation

Recorded Version of Webinar Now AvailableWe would like to extend a thank you to all the participants on our Corrections Online Training Collaborative (COTC) webinar held on Thursday, April 5, 2012. We hope you found the conversation about the role of online training in standards and accreditation both enjoyable and educational.A special thank you to our producer, Pat Tully, Senior VP Business Development, COTC/Essential Learning, presenter, David Taylor, Executive Director of the Correctional Accreditation Managers Association (CAMA) and Accreditation Manager, Montgomery County Adult Probation, and to our moderator Michael Dooley, Vice President of Correctional Services for COTC/Essential Learning.As follow up to the conversation, please find a recording of the webinar at the link below:https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/984477536

Learn More About Online Training and How It Can Help You With Standards and AccreditationContact us to learn more about our online training solution that can support your training standards and accreditation needs. Whether you want to learn more about standards and accreditation, view our online libraries of courses, learn more about blended learning (online training and in-person training), or see how a Learning Management System can help you streamline the enrollment, delivery, tracking, management and reporting of all your staff training, please CLICK HERE to reach our COTC staff. We would be happy to assist you with your questions and inquiries.You can also call us at 1-800-729-9198 ext 201 or email us at COTC@essentiallearning.comThanks again and we look forward to hearing from you soon.Respectfully, The COTC Team

CAMA would like to recognize Louisianna Department of Corrections for their excellent work with community partners and faith based groups using "Re-Entry Radio"From the Louisiana Department of Corrections Website: "In May 2010, the Department of Public Safety and Corrections partnered with Re-Entry Solutions of Alexandria to launch a one-hour, live radio program on issues pertaining to offenders preparing to reenter society and those individuals already under community (probation or parole) supervision.Re-Entry Solutions is a central Louisiana service provider for many individuals under supervision. Mrs. Candy Christophe of Re-Entry Solutions and Mr. Michael Wynne, a Supervisor with the Alexandria Probation and Parole District Office, serve as co-hosts for the weekly program that explores offender reentry issues and how the Department and community can work together to address the challenges that arise.“Reentry Radio” can be heard live each Wednesday from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. on the following radio stations: 88.1 FM in Alexandria, 98.9 FM in Monroe and 92.5 FM in Shreveport. In addition, the program is broadcast live via the Internet by logging on to www.kaytfm.com. Programs are also posted on the Department’s website to listen to at any time."Below is a synopsis of a recent "Re-Entry Radio" Program from La. DOC:

(Program #83) Today's Re-Entry Radio Program focused on East Jefferson District Office of Probation & Parole and Union Baptist College Theological Seminary. One of great continuing partnerships with the La. Department of Corrections has been with faith-based organizations, making the La. Department of Corrections' possibly the leading state correctional agency in the nation in our working with these great organizations. Our guests included East Jefferson District Probation and Parole Supervisor (and Re-Entry Coordinator) Kim Lindsay and P & P Officer Patrick O'Brien. Also on the program was Carolyn Tilton, Director of the Healing Community with Union Baptist Theological College, Dr. Harold Trulear, National Director for Healing Communities (called in from Philadelphia Pennsylvania), Pastor Lionel Davis (Chairman of the Board Of Trustees of Union Baptist Theological College, called in from New Orleans), Minister James Breland, and P&P offender Melvin Seals. The Union Baptist Theological Program is one of the many "Bible" colleges that provides outstanding religious training and educational services to our state's inmates and probationers and parolees. It is always interesting to see how these religious training partnerships provide much more than just educaton, but inspiration for our offenders to persevere and work hard to prepare for their futures, regardless of how limited their own future individually may seem. This program, among many other recent past programs, will soon be archived on the La. Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections website to become available for your listening "pleasure" 24/7.

Hello CAMA Members from CAMA President Jeff Rogers(March 14, 2011)I wanted to let everyone know that the first jail in Kentucky was audited this past week using the new ACA Core Jail Standards. It is the one and only jail in Kentucky to go through this. There are also no ACA accredited jails in the state. This was truly a historical event in my home state. I have always been frustrated by my home states lack of following national standards in the jail community. Considering that every state adult and juvenile facility in Kentucky is ACA accredited as are all the Federal Bureau of Prisons in Kentucky, I hope now that the Marion County Detention Center in Lebanon, Kentucky has gone through this process other jails in Kentucky will follow Jailer Barry Brady’s lead and establish ACA standards as the best way to operate their jails. I urge all CAMA members to encourage ACA accreditation in their state’s correctional facilities. Jailer Brady’s facility will have its ACA Accreditation Panel Hearing in Miami and should receive its certification at the hearing. The time is approaching for the 24th Annual CAMA Training Conference in Miami, Florida May 1-3, 2011. I urge all CAMA members to attend this conference. The Miami-Dade County Corrections and Rehabilitation Department is this year’s host. The host committee has worked tirelessly over the past two years to put on what promises to be a great conference. I would love to see this conference surpass all previous conferences in terms of attendees. So please join me in Miami for a great conference, a great end to the winter doldrums and a great opportunity to network with your peers. The CAMA Board is working to raise the CAMA presence on the national scene. We have appointed John Rees, former Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Corrections to help us in this endeavor. Mr. Rees has many contacts with high level Correction’s officials in many states. We are also seeking to raise our awareness with potential sponsors and vendors to help CAMA provide a better annual conference. Mr. Caleb Asbridge, Mid-Atlantic Region Representative has taken a position with the Moss Group and has resigned his CAMA Post. As required in the CAMA Constitution/By-Laws, the Board voted to appoint the runner-up in the last election, Ms. Cyndi Heddleston as the new Regional Representative. Expect to see a proposal to our Constitution coming soon. I would like to change the time when our Board takes office. Currently a new Board takes office at the ACA Summer conference. I would like to see the Board take office at the CAMA Conference. Members will have the opportunity to vote on this issue by email. If any of you have any news you wish to share with other CAMA members please send me your information at jamraat02@gmail.com(This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ) SincerelyJeff Rogers502-320-4769